Construction of open lifeboats with partially-collapsible sides



Se t. 18 1923.

P G. RINESI CONSTRUCTION OF OPEN LIFE-BOATS WITH PARTIALLY COLIJ'APSIBLE sxmas 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28 [1921 Sept. 18, 1923. 1,468,327

G. RINESI CONSTRUCTION OF OPEN LIFEBOATS WITH PARTIALLY COLLAPSIBLE SIDES Filed y 28 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z rd" fly. 9

Patented Sept. 18, 1923.

GIOVANNI RINESI, 0F GENOA, ITALY.

C ONSTRUCTiON OF OPEN LIFEBOATS W'ITH PARTIALLY-OOLLAPSIBLE SIDES.

Application filed May 28, 1921. Serial No. 473,301.

' To all whom it may concern ,Be it known that I, GIOVANNI ltINnsI, a subject of the King of Italy, and residing at Genoa, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to the Construction of Open Lifeboats with Partially-Collapsible Sides, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in life boats of the type having collapsible sides and comprises means for rapidly raising or lowering the collapsible portions of the boats. This type differs from the exist ing types in two particulars, the first of the collapsible portions from the folded to the extended or set-up position as the collapsible portions areautomatlcally moved to an extended position as-soon as the tackles of the inain'ship are brought into tension.

while the second particular re ards special hinges fitted medially of the length of the stanchions which actto hold the hnlwarks in their extended position. The invention has for anadditional object the provision of automatic latching reinforcements or bracing mean'sin combination with longitudinally foldable stanchions. 7 p Other objects as well as the nature, charact'eristics and scope of the invention will b more readily apparent in the following description taken in connection with the A04 coinpanying drawing and pointed out inthe claims forming a part of this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which F igure 1 is a longitudinal section of the improved boat with the 'bulwarks in an ex tended or set-up position.

' Fig. 2 a plan View of the boat shovving V the 'bnlwarks in the samevposition.

Fig-i2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan pieces F ig."3is a longitudinal sectlonal view of the boat'with the collapsible portions of the detail-of one of the supplementary side. e

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the boat with the bulwarkscollapsed. p

Figb5 is a transverse section amidsh p with the bulw'arks extended.

Fig. .6 is a cross section through the-boat showing the lifting apparatus in elevation.

Fig. 7 isa transverse section aniidship with the bulwarks collapsed.

Referring now, more particularly to the accompanying drawings there is provided a boat, having a'solid lower portlon A and a collapsible upper portion or bulwarks B. which 7 consistsin that no preliminary f manual operation 1s. required for moving The bulwarks in this instance, may be formed of suitable flexible material and securedin any suitable manner to the upper edge of the lower solid portion or structure While the upper portion is connected with a gnnwale C.

' In order that the bulwarks may be maintained in an extended position or allowed to lie in a flattened. position, improved means is employed for. accomplishing such purpose and in this instance, preferably consisting as at d respectively to the gunwale and to the lower solid structure. It is to be particularly observed that the pivotal connection 61 is such that when folded the stanchion sections move longitudinally of the length of the boat. In fact it is preferred that the fore and, aft stanchion move longitudinally and inwardly so that when folded the boat will assume the position indicated in Fig. 3.

Inorder to provide for the seating of persons in the boat, angle brackets E are p1vot tions of the substantially U-shaped side benches F. In orderto provide for the col- 'lapsing of these side benches with the boat,

ally associated with the bolts 0? and in turn havesecnred thereto the fore and aft secing of the stanchions as is, apparent.

Fore and artt it an, verse benches, N are carried by the side benches, while coacting with the same is improved means for assisting in the preventing of accidental collapsing of the ,boat, In reducing this teatur of the invention to practice, braces E have their E slide through the slots F and finally upper ends pivotally associated. with the lower surface of the transverse benches N while the lower ends carry pins E and these pine operate through guides F secured von the upper surface of the lower solidstructure A. iflach guide consists of a base portion with an upright longitudinally disposed web portion, the latter being provided with an inclined slot F, the upper end of which is curved downwardly as indicated at G to form a stop seat for the pin E. T he operation is simultaneous with the raising or extendingot the collapsible side portions B. i l hen these side portions are raised in a manner that will be hereinafter described, inasmuch as the braces E are positively connected to the transverse seats N,-during the extending movement, the pins engage-the seats G at which point they are automatically latched, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 9. If desired, stop locking pins H may be removably arranged through alining openings in the web portion of the guide and in the adjacent brace E.

In order to further prevent the accidental collapsing of the boat, cross braces M are arranged beneath the transverse seats L and the upper surface of the solid structure A, the angle ends M of said braces being arranged between keepers M respectively mounted on the outer surface of the seats L and the upper surface of the solid lower structure A as indicated in Figs. 4; and 5.

Suitable means may be employed for supporting the boatctrom clavits (not shown), such means also acting in conjunction with the weight of the lower solid structure A in automaticallyextending the collapsible or folding portion B. In the present instance, this means may be said to consist of hooks A and B arranged through suitable apertures in transverse bars A, P carried in turn by the gunivalathese hooks being connected with the upper surface oi the solid structure through the instrumentality of 7 Big. 1.

foldable links as indicated. 'l he mode of operation oi the present invention may be reviewed as follows: Assuming that the parts have been assembled in the manner described and as indicated in the drawings, upon the swinging of the boat outwardly from the deck of the main ship, assuming that the same is suspended from the hooks ill- 3, the weight oi the lower solid structure acts to extend the several stanchionsD and inasmuch as these stanchions are all connected with the side benches, the latter will move to assume the position indicated in During the extending of the side portions B and the stanchions D'carrying the side benches, inasmuch as the cross seats N are carried by the latter and'ha've connection with the braces E, the braces are extended to assume theposition indicated. in Figs. 1- to 9. vThe supplementary side pieces or benches H are swung to assume the position indicated in Figs. 2 andl and sub sequently the catches-or pawls are moved to latch these supplementary pieces in the position indicated. 1 desired, the cross braces M may be applied and these in addition to facilitating the maintenance of the boat in extended position, also act toprevent transverse movement thereof. chains K and K? areconnected respectively at the bow and stern and with thesolid structure to prevent accidentallongitudinal movement 'of the parts. 'In' collapsing the boat, it is only necessary to reverse the opera{ tion. l

It is believed in View of the foregoing that a further detail description of the operation of the invention is entirely unnecessary, likewise it is believed that the advantages of the invention willbe readily apparent.

I claim as my invent-ion: i

1. A boat 0 the character described includingv a lower solid structure anda col lapsible upper portion, a .gunwale carried by the upper portion, longitudinally foldable stanchions between the gunwale and the lower solid structure, brackets mounted at the folding points otthe stanchions, substantially U-shaped sidebenches carried by the brackets, transverse seats carried at the adjacent ends 01 the U-shaped side benches and also by theside benches near the bow Stop and stern of the boat, supplementary side 7 the supplementary side benches when in set up position, guides carried by. the upper surface of the lower structure, braces pivoted to the transverse benches near the bow and stern operating in the guides and adapted to be latched in the guides upon the extending 01 the collapsible upper portion of the boat,

and means "for removably locking the braces in their latched positions.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein transverse bars are arranged on the gunwale, suspending hooks operably arranged through the bars and operatively connected with the upper surface of the lower structure for facilitating the auton 1 atic extending of the seats.

3 An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stanchions each consist of a pair of sections of U-shaped channel formation in cross section means for pivoting one of the sections to lie in nesting relation With theother section at a point slightly remote from its free end whereby the portion between the pivot pin and the free end will act as a brace to prevent collapsing of the sections.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

V GIOVANNI RINESI.

Witnesses:

GUzETsTUN DRIN.

AUGUSTO DE MARTIN. 

